Bengaluru, July 05: A former sanitation worker has made spine-chilling allegations against members of the Dharmasthala temple administration, claiming he was forced to burn and bury the bodies of several rape and murder victims between 1998 and 2014. The victims, he said, included women and schoolgirls, many of whom showed signs of sexual assault, strangulation, and other violent injuries.

The man, a Dalit and former employee under the temple’s sanitation wing, submitted a complaint at the Dharmasthala police station on July 3. The police have registered a case under Section 211(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Dakshina Kannada SP Arun K confirmed the development, adding that the complainant has sought anonymity and security for his family. Kerala Shocker: Temple Administrator Arrested for Repeated Rape of Bengaluru Widow Under Guise of Rituals to ‘Lift Curse’; Co-Accused Priest on the Run.

According to his complaint, he began discovering bodies in and around the Nethravathi river in the late 1990s. “At first, I thought they were suicide or drowning victims, but most of the bodies were naked or semi-naked, many with injuries. I was told to bury or burn them quietly,” he stated. When he resisted these instructions, he claims he was brutally assaulted and repeatedly threatened with death. Agra Horror: Man Rapes 5-Year-Old Girl Inside Temple in Uttar Pradesh, Arrested As Disturbing Video of Sex Assault Surfaces.

One of the most disturbing incidents described involved a minor girl found dead near a petrol bunk in Kalleri in 2010. “She was in school uniform, her skirt and undergarments missing, and had strangulation marks. I was told to bury her along with her schoolbag,” the man alleged.

In 2014, after a minor girl in his own family was reportedly harassed by someone close to his supervisor, the man fled Dharmasthala with his family. For over a decade, he lived in hiding in a neighbouring state. Recently, he claims to have returned and exhumed one of the bodies he buried, submitting photographs of the remains to the police.

He has identified some of the alleged perpetrators as being connected to the temple’s administrative wing. He said he is willing to assist investigators, identify burial sites, and name those involved once he is granted protection under the Witness Protection Scheme, 2018.

Dharmasthala, located in Dakshina Kannada district, is one of Karnataka’s most prominent pilgrimage towns. The famed Sri Manjunatha Temple is administered by the Heggade family, known for their deep religious, social, and political influence in the region.

Women and Child Helpline Numbers:

Childline India – 1098; Missing Child and Women – 1094; Women’s Helpline – 181; National Commission for Women Helpline – 112; National Commission for Women Helpline Against Violence – 7827170170; Police Women and Senior Citizen Helpline – 1091/1291.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 05, 2025 03:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).